Luminous Spirits
by Pandora151
Summary: Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, before and after everything changes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story will be two chapters. The first chapter will be set about a month before the events of Drifting Starlight, and the second will be set sometime after. If you haven't read Drifting Starlight, I highly recommend reading that before reading this story!**

 **For those of you who did read Drifting Starlight, welcome back! :)**

* * *

The apartment was empty. Ahsoka let out a slow breath of relief and slowly walked towards one of the nearby couches, legs trembling slightly. The door closed behind her, and she fell onto her knees next to one of the couches. Her breaths hitched, and cold tears streamed out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

Ahsoka gasped silently, not allowing herself to cry loud enough for anyone to hear her. It wasn't _fair_! She'd tried so hard to show Anakin, to show the Council that she could go back to the front now, but they deemed her not ready. It wasn't that she didn't like staying at the Temple anymore, but she would rather be with Anakin than not.

Anakin had a choice to stay at the Temple while Ahsoka caught up on her studies. And he chose to not stay. He chose to leave her behind.

Ahsoka's shoulders shook as she curled forward, letting her forehead touch her knees as she rocked back and forth next to the couch. She _failed_. Anakin didn't want her, she was sure of it. Yoda assigned them together, but she could see clearly that he didn't want her anymore. It wouldn't be long now before…

"Ahsoka?"

She looked up, breaths still hitching. Her vision was all blurry from the tears, but she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, heard a soothing voice just barely over the sound of her sobs.

"Ahsoka, take some deep breaths for me, okay?"

She did as she was instructed and reached tentatively into the Force to calm herself. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly.

"Breathe."

All the rushing emotions swirling within her slowed down and everything seemed clearer now. She still felt a sense of unsteadiness with her emotions, but she felt as though she could control them, and that would be enough for now.

She opened her eyes.

"Better?"

She looked up to see Master Kenobi kneeling next to her, his hand resting on her shoulder.

Ahsoka nodded and rubbed furiously at her eyes. She made a complete fool of herself in front of him, and he'd tell Anakin, and then…

"Relax, Ahsoka," Master Kenobi said, probably sensing her anxiety. "You've been through a lot over the past few weeks. It's alright to have emotion, you know that."

She nodded again and exhaled slowly. The Force was calm. _She_ was a Jedi, regardless of what would happen.

"I'm sorry, Master, I didn't know you were here," she rasped, cringing at how hoarse her voice sounded.

Obi-Wan shook his head. He wasn't at the Council meeting today for some reason. He didn't _know_.

"Don't worry about that, Padawan," Master Kenobi said. "Now, I was about to make some tea. Do you want some? It should help soothe your throat."

Tea? She wasn't really much of a tea drinker, but the thought of saying no was…wrong. She'd already messed up so much. "Okay," she said finally.

Obi-Wan smiled gently at her. "Good," he said before pulling himself to his feet and padding into the kitchen. She followed.

He spent a few minutes showing her the different types of tea that he had and explaining how it should be prepared before asking her which one she wanted. At random, she selected one of the tins sitting towards the back of the cupboard.

Obi-Wan paused for a moment, but before she could say anything, he reached for the tin she pointed to and opened it. There weren't many tea leaves left, probably enough for one pot.

"Oh, I didn't know it was…" Ahsoka stuttered, feeling knots form in her stomach now. "We can drink a different one, Master, we don't—"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "No attachments," he murmured before pouring the last of the tin's contents into the boiling pot and reducing the heat to almost nothingness. He covered the pot with its lid and stepped away from the stove to allow the tea to heat from the steam trapped inside the pot.

Ahsoka watched as he picked up the now-empty tin. "I'll have to get more," he said finally. Ahsoka suddenly felt like she was intruding on something important. She wished Anakin was there to diffuse this.

"What is it?" she asked finally.

"It's a rare blend," he answered after a moment, and placed the tin on the counter next to him. "Sapir." There was now a strange look on his face, and Ahsoka was itching for her comm. But Anakin had already left Coruscant; there wasn't much he could do to help her now. She was on her own.

"It was Qui-Gon's favorite."

Oh.

Oh _no_.

She looked at the chrono on the wall next to her and stared at the date. Today was…It all came together now. The reason why Anakin told her not to bother Obi-Wan today. The reason why he wasn't at the Council meeting earlier. The reason he was acting so strangely now.

Today was the anniversary of the Battle of Naboo. She remembered hearing that on a broadcast this morning, but she wasn't really paying much attention to it. But that had to mean that it was Master Qui-Gon's death anniversary. Which meant that…

"Master, I…"

He shook his head. "None of that, Ahsoka," he said. "If I held onto that sapir for any longer, it would probably get spoiled. Better we drink it."

She wanted to protest, but the tea was already heating in the pot. There wasn't much she could do now.

It wasn't right for her to be here instead of Anakin. Anakin knew Master Qui-Gon. He always said that it wasn't for a very long time, but still…what was she supposed to do right now? She was pretty sure she never met Master Qui-Gon, and even if she did, she would have been too young to properly remember what he was like.

"Master, I'm sorry," she said finally. Was that right? Was that what she was supposed to say?

"I've had enough people saying that to me, Ahsoka," Master Kenobi answered. His voice was bland enough, but she could feel flickers of grief slipping through his shields.

"What should I say?" she pressed.

He didn't reply. Instead, Obi-Wan moved forward to take the tea off the stove. "Tell me this," he said instead, changing the topic deftly. "Why were you so upset earlier? Did something happen?"

"Anakin left," she answered after a moment.

"And you think he won't return?" he asked. Obi-Wan finished pouring the tea into both mugs. She took one of them and took a tentative sip. The tea had a strong, overwhelming flavor and it burned her tongue and mouth instantly. She winced. "Take slow sips," Obi-Wan suggested.

Ahsoka did just that. The flavor remained, but now that she was drinking it more slowly, she found herself appreciating it. Her throat was not that raw anymore, and she felt calm and sure.

"Anakin has very high expectations for me, and I'm just worried he'll think I'm too slow and…"

"You worry that he'll repudiate you."

Ahsoka nodded. "That day on Christophsis, he was already set on sending me back, but for some reason he kept me. But I'm just so worried that he'll realize that I'm…not good enough," she murmured.

"Why do you think you're not good enough?" Master Kenobi asked after taking a long sip of his tea.

"I'm different from the other padawans, Master. You know that," she answered. She took another sip, then another. Force, this tea was _good_.

Obi-Wan hummed. "Anakin was different, too. _You_ know that, Ahsoka. I'm sure the rumor mill hasn't disappeared over the years. You know what they say about him."

"Is it true?" she asked.

For a brief moment, a strange emotion flickered across his features. "My thoughts on whether or not it's true will not change the truth of the matter," he answered. Obi-Wan walked to the kitchen table and sat down.

"What matters is this: you are his Padawan. You now have an important bond with him because of it. Anakin feels things more deeply than any other Jedi, but he cares about you, Ahsoka. He will not leave you behind, trust me," he continued.

Ahsoka sat down too. "But…"

"You need not worry about these things, Ahsoka."

"I can't help it," she admitted. There were deep knots of anxiety within her, almost overwhelming her senses at times.

"I know," he answered.

She slowly finished drinking her tea and put the mug on the table. She felt warm and confident, and the Force felt simply _right_.

"I think you've convinced me to drink tea more often," she commented, secretly wishing there was more of the sapir to drink.

Obi-Wan grinned and finished the last of his tea before putting his mug on the table as well. "That's a relief," he responded. "Anakin absolutely detests the taste of it, no matter how much tea I've poured down his throat."

Ahsoka laughed. _Force_ , it's been too long since she's laughed like that. It felt good to laugh, after so many weeks of being at the front and dealing with war and death and destruction. Maybe spending some time off in the Temple would be good for her. Maybe this was what she needed.

"Thank you, Master," she said finally.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Ahsoka," he responded, eyes shining, "thank _you_."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Happy Star Wars Day! May the Fourth be With You :)**

 **This chapter was getting really long, so I decided to make this fic three chapters instead of two!**

 **Also, this chapter and the next will be set after Drifting Starlight, so I really must emphasize how important it is that you read that fic before this one. The previous chapter was very canon compliant, but now we're officially in AU territory! A lot of what you'll see in this chapter will not make sense unless you read Drifting Starlight. So if you haven't, please do that first and then come back and read this!**

 **Thank you and enjoy! :)**

* * *

It was nearing midnight by the time they left Anakin and Senator Amidala's apartment. Master Obi-Wan was technically still on medical leave and _technically_ didn't have to attend the Council Meeting that was scheduled for the evening. It took some convincing on Anakin and Ahsoka's part, but he decided to not attend.

It was a good thing he didn't, Ahsoka mused as she gently turned the speeder in the direction of the Temple. Obi-Wan sat in the passenger seat, fast asleep. She'd never seen him (or anyone, really) fall asleep so quickly, but it was apparently his first day out of the Halls in almost a month.

She landed the speeder with a quietness that would probably have impressed Anakin before whispering, "Master?" She didn't exactly want to wake him, but there really wasn't anything else she could do now.

Obi-Wan's eyes opened. "Did I fall asleep?" he mumbled. He groaned slightly before sitting up properly and rubbing at his eyes.

She nodded, though it was dark, and he probably couldn't see her. "We're back at the Temple," she said.

Obi-Wan stopped rubbing his eyes and looked up at the ceiling of the hangar. "I just need a minute," he said, voice quieter now.

"It's okay," she said, turning the speeder off and relaxing into her seat. Anakin had taught her to drive, but she hadn't done it in a while. When they were leaving Anakin and Senator Amidala's apartment, however, it immediately became clear to her that Obi-Wan wouldn't be able to drive. She hopped into the driver's seat and turned on the speeder before he could protest. As soon as the speeder lifted into the air, Obi-Wan was nodding off, much to her amusement.

"I haven't officially been discharged yet," Obi-Wan mumbled.

Well. That definitely explained things. "Should I comm Master Che, then?" she asked gently.

Obi-Wan paused for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "No, I think I—"

"Master," Ahsoka interrupted, frustration beginning to bubble deep within her. "After everything that happened with Anakin, I can't—I can't lose anyone else," she murmured. Her eyes began to burn with tears, but she held them at bay. "I watched you die— _twice_. And I just can't go through that again." She gasped and rubbed at her eyes.

Obi-Wan moved forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said finally. He still wasn't completely caught up on everything that happened over the past few weeks, and he probably didn't realize exactly what happened to her during that time.

She sniffled. "I _can't_ , Master," she whispered. "And I know you've been getting better, but I also know it's going to be a slow process. I just—I need you to be honest with me."

Obi-Wan exhaled slowly, then sank into his chair just slightly. "I think part of what happened with Anakin was because we weren't communicating well," he admitted. "And because of that, he—" He swallowed, and it immediately became clear to Ahsoka that he couldn't bear to think about what happened in Palpatine's office.

Before Ahsoka could say anything about that, he continued talking.

"Anyways, I think you're right. In order for this to work, we need to be honest with each other," Obi-Wan said firmly. "And yes, Qui-Gon will be here whenever he can, but his capabilities are limited. You and I have both been through a lot over the past few months, and I haven't exactly come to terms with everything yet. It will take me time."

Ahsoka nodded. "Me too," she said, letting the tears fall from her eyes. "Can we promise each other that we'll be honest about whatever we're thinking or feeling? If you're not feeling well, you can just tell me. I won't think any worse of you. And I'll tell you if I'm having trouble with my emotions or anything like that."

"Yes, that's a good idea," Obi-Wan answered. He seemed to deflate a bit and closed his eyes. "Could you comm Master Che for me?" he whispered, then opened his eyes to reveal exhaustion swirling in their depths. "I'm feeling rather dizzy."

Ahsoka nodded, then picked up her commlink.

* * *

The next few days flew by as Ahsoka began to focus more on her classes. Because of the war, she was always behind on the material, but over the past few weeks, she was able to focus on catching up. She felt more in control of her academics, much to her own surprise.

Obi-Wan was officially discharged from the Healer's Ward two days after taking Ahsoka as his Padawan, with strict instructions from Master Che to do nothing strenuous and come in for multiple follow-up appointments over the next few days. He was pleased to be finally back in the apartment and start doing some work, despite all the restrictions he had.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan had an unofficial braiding ceremony of sorts, since Obi-Wan didn't really want to undo anything that Anakin did. They agreed that despite everything, Anakin was an important part of Ahsoka's padawanship. It was necessary to keep that in mind as they progressed.

They both settled into an easy schedule as Ahsoka gained more ground on her classes and lightsaber training and as Obi-Wan eased himself back into light katas and exercise.

Ahsoka continued working on jar'kai by herself, but she was beginning to struggle with one of the katas. She didn't have her own shoto yet, and she was beginning to realize that using her lightsaber with a training saber was creating a sort of imbalance that she couldn't overcome.

Ahsoka walked into a training room one afternoon a few weeks later, holocron in hand, to practice that kata and practice with some droids. About a half hour into her practice, she activated a few droids and began to deflect bolts. Just as she deactivated the last droid, the door opened.

"Master?" She extinguished both sabers as Obi-Wan walked in.

"Hello, Ahsoka," he greeted, then looked at the sabers she was holding. "You're still working on jar'kai?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm liking it so far, but I'm still trying to figure some of it out," she answered, moving the deactivated droids away.

"Would you mind showing me what you've worked on over the past few weeks?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

She nodded, and he shifted back to give her space.

Ahsoka started off slowly with an easy kata as she slowly increased her speed and the difficulty of the katas. A few times, Obi-Wan stopped her to adjust her grip on the sabers before nodding at her to continue.

She finally got to the kata she was working on earlier, but as soon as she started, she could feel herself flagging. Sure enough, she tripped over her feet and landed on her front with a grunt.

"Kriff," she muttered before pulling herself to her feet.

Obi-Wan chuckled a bit before speaking. "You've made a lot of progress," he said, smiling. "That kata is one of the more advanced ones; it's going to take some time for you to master it," he said. "Would you like to spar?"

"Yes, but are you cleared for it?" she asked.

He nodded. "Master Che cleared me yesterday for light spars. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm curious," he answered. "And I think I have an idea for something that might help you with your jar'kai, but I need to be sure."

"Okay," she replied.

Obi-Wan did some quick stretches before he took his lightsaber off his belt and ignited it. "Ready?" he asked, smiling slightly.

She nodded.

Master Obi-Wan was known for being one of the best Soresu duelists at the Temple, but for some reason, he was being quite offensive. She couldn't tell if it was because he was experimenting with something, or if he was doing it unknowingly.

It became clear to her what was happening when he delivered a series of heavy blows on her left side. She struggled at first to block them, but quickly fell into an easier stance that protected her left side. Just as she became a little too comfortable, Obi-Wan turned towards her right side and easily knocked her lightsaber out of her hand, leaving her with the training one.

Obi-Wan exhaled shakily, then turned off his saber. "Do you see what's happening?" he asked, just slightly out of breath.

"I think so?" she answered and called her saber back to her with the Force. He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"You're doing well with protecting one side at a time, Ahsoka," he said, "but you're not protecting _all_ of your sides. That's one of the more difficult aspects of Jar'kai. But I think part of the reason why you're struggling with that is because you're using a training lightsaber instead of a proper shoto."

She nodded. "It does feel a bit strange to use the training saber along with a regular lightsaber," she admitted.

Obi-Wan hummed. "I'm going to talk to the Council about taking a trip to Illum. You're going to need a new lightsaber crystal for to build your shoto," he said with a smile.

Her own shoto? Ahsoka's stomach fluttered at the thought. Anakin didn't seem to like jar'kai much; he allowed Ahsoka to study it and realized that she was showing an affinity for it, but Obi-Wan had been helping her with it ever since she started. The realization that he believed her to be ready to have her own shoto was extremely gratifying.

She nodded. "That's a good idea," she answered, trying not to show too much of her excitement.

He laughed slightly, probably sensing her excitement in the Force. "I'll have to get cleared for travel. I'll go speak to Master Che tomorrow and then we'll go see the Council," Obi-Wan decided. He nodded, then turned on his lightsaber again. "Let's go again. I'm going to be more defensive this time."

Ahsoka nodded and ignited both sabers again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Happy Star Wars day! (again).**

 **I was going to upload this later, but I was too excited/nervous to share this, so I'm doing it now. Enjoy!**

* * *

"You want to go to Illum?" Master Che asked, brow raised. Ahsoka felt her surprise cut through the Force before it dissipated in a single moment.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Ahsoka is in need of a second lightsaber crystal," he explained.

Master Che sighed slightly. "I'd rather you travel somewhere with more mild temperatures first. There's no knowing how your body will respond to extreme temperatures, Obi-Wan," she explained. "But I can tell that you're determined to do this, so let me run some tests, and then we'll see."

Ahsoka watched as Obi-Wan nodded. She thought about how Obi-Wan was during the past few weeks. Some days, he seemed to be almost like how he was before, as though nothing happened at all. But some other days, Obi-Wan wouldn't even bring himself to get out of bed; he would pick at the food on his plate instead of actually eating it. Whenever she asked him about it, he'd say that he wasn't hungry or that he didn't sleep well the night before. When she asked Master Qui-Gon about it, he didn't exactly know what to say.

About an hour later, Master Che returned with the results.

"So," she began, sitting herself down on the stool next to Ahsoka. "I still hesitate to send you off-planet, Obi-Wan."

She tapped on her datapad, and then handed it to Obi-Wan, who took it with a frown.

"As you can see, your body's chemicals are still completely out of balance. That explains why you have some good days, when everything seems to be functioning well, and some bad days," Master Che explained.

Obi-Wan stared down at the datapad but nodded slightly.

"Your blood pressure is also lower than what it was last time and you're hypoglycemic and slightly dehydrated. You're not eating enough, and you're still underweight. And I know you've been skipping appointments with the mind healers," she finished.

Ahsoka's eyes widened.

Obi-Wan remained completely silent, eyes fixed on the floor.

"I'm not saying no, Obi-Wan," Master Che said, more gently now. "I understand that this is important to you. I know your recovery has been difficult on you, but you need to understand that this is something you'll be dealing with for the rest of your life. I know it wasn't like this before, but because of what happened—"

She cut herself off as Obi-Wan nodded again without looking up.

"Let's do this," Master Che proposed, eyes shining slightly. "Come back here tomorrow. You'll speak to a mind healer, and if they say that you can go, then I'll allow it. You'll have to stay on the ship while Ahsoka gets her crystal, though."

The Healer paused, as though she was waiting for Obi-Wan to say something. He didn't.

After a few tense moments, Master Che smiled and turned to Ahsoka. "May I speak to you outside, Padawan Tano?" she asked gently.

Ahsoka nodded and followed the Master Healer out of the room, leaving Obi-Wan inside.

As soon as the door closed, Master Che exhaled and leaned against the wall next to the door, brows creasing.

"Don't blame yourself, Padawan," she said finally. "Your Master is very good at making it look like everything is alright. Sometimes even he would believe it. And what he's dealing with is a difficult combination of conditions."

Ahsoka swallowed against the dryness in her throat. "It's just that we promised to be honest with each other, Master," she explained. "And because of that, I just assumed that he was alright. We were _sparring_ yesterday."

Master Che smiled wryly. "I did clear him for that, on the grounds that he would not over-exert himself."

"He didn't," Ahsoka said.

"Good," Master Che responded. "Those first days, Ahsoka, after he woke up, were extremely difficult on him. I know you're aware that he didn't immediately agree to Anakin's wishes."

Ahsoka nodded slowly. During that time, it seemed as though _everyone_ was watching her, from members of the Council to younglings in the crèche. She tried to ignore it, but it was extremely disconcerting.

"I was worried that he wouldn't make it, Ahsoka," Master Che continued. "Yes, he woke up from the coma, but Obi-Wan wasn't…" She trailed off and swallowed harshly. "I dread to think of what would have happened if Qui-Gon Jinn didn't show up when he did."

Ahsoka knew that Master Qui-Gon's appearance was what ultimately convinced Obi-Wan to take her as his Padawan. She owed so much to Master Qui-Gon, and she told him that multiple times.

"It won't be easy, Ahsoka. I'm sure you're aware of that. But just continue to be there for Obi-Wan. Make sure he knows that he can talk to you," Master Che said.

"I will, Master."

* * *

Illum was just as cold as she remembered. The last time Ahsoka went there was a few weeks before she was assigned to be Anakin's Padawan. It felt strange to return to Illum in search of a second lightsaber crystal with her second Master. But the Force sang with the right-ness of it as they approached the entrance to the cave.

"Ready?" Obi-Wan asked.

Ahsoka nodded and wrapped her cloak around herself a bit more tightly. She had to be prepared for the cold and whatever else was awaiting her inside.

"I'm nervous," she said finally, staring at the entrance. She had a few nightmares over the past few weeks, and she couldn't help but wonder if she would see any visions that might relate to those dreams as well. Despite the fact that she's done this before, she didn't know what to expect this time.

"Anakin was nervous, too, when I first brought him here," Obi-Wan mused. "And so was I, when Qui-Gon brought me." He smiled and sent trust and faith along their bond. "I know that you will find what you need not only because the Force wills it to be that way, Ahsoka, but because you are an incredible Jedi. I have faith in you."

Faith. Ahsoka felt warm confidence in her stomach and a sense of urgency from the Force. Master Obi-Wan was right. She can do this. She _will_ do this.

Ahsoka nodded, then moved closer to face the entrance.

"I'll try to be quick," she said, turning slightly to face Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan smirked. "I'll be waiting in the ship. Don't worry about me. Focus on getting your crystal," he said.

Her crystal. She heard its song, from deep within the caves. It was reaching out to her in the Force. She closed her eyes and reached for it in the Force. The crystal's melody was pure yet elegant. It felt _right_.

She was a Jedi, and her crystal was calling to her.

"I hear it," she whispered, and opened her eyes to look at Obi-Wan.

"Good," Obi-Wan said, smiling properly now. "May the Force be with you, Ahsoka."

"And with you, Master," she responded, then turned around and ran into the cave's entrance.

* * *

There it was.

A glowing yellow crystal, easily within arm's reach, resting on top of a ledge. The melody was louder now, but not overwhelming. Ahsoka found it to be humming along with the melody of the crystal she already had. Their melodies intertwined into one, creating a multi-layered song that resonated deep within her soul.

It felt so right.

She reached for it, and then—

 _"Ahsoka_. _"_

She spun around to see a tall machine-like figure adorned with a sort of black armor and a cape. There was a mask covering the face, but it was broken, revealing a bright burning golden eye and charred skin. The voice was partially filtered through a vocoder of some sort, but there was a rasping human voice too, mixing together eerily.

 _"Ahsoka."_

She recognized that voice. She _knew_ who that was.

"Anakin," she whispered, and there were tears in her eyes and an ache that pulsed through the bond she once had with him.

She looked at the red lightsaber that he held, and she felt his hate permeating the Force, the coldness.

Anakin was a Sith.

 _"Anakin, why?"_

Obi-Wan, standing a few feet away, eyes wide and bright with tears. His face and body appeared to be awash with agony; he was trembling and shuddering slightly.

The black-cloaked figure turned to face Obi-Wan, the single golden eye shimmering with cruel fury.

 _"You've lied to me enough times, Obi-Wan."_

Obi-Wan stiffened, as though he was physically struck, but did not say anything.

"No," she whispered, taking a step forward towards them. She thought back to that first day on Christophsis, almost a year ago now. Her masters were almost like brothers then, fates tightly intertwined, bounded by trust. Yes, that trust has been used and twisted and nearly destroyed, but it was still _there_.

"This is wrong," Ahsoka whispered, but it looked like no one heard her.

The crystal whispered in her mind again, and she quickly turned towards it and grabbed it. Immediately, the two figures standing before her disappeared, and the agony that pervaded the Force dissipated.

She instantly spun around and ran, heart pounding in her chest, weaving through the tunnel and out of the cave, right hand tightly gripping the crystal. She sprinted up to even ground, where she knew the ship would be and raced inside. The door to the cockpit slid open.

Obi-Wan was sitting at the pilot's chair, studying something on his datapad. He looked up and stood slowly. "Ahsoka?" he asked, visibly confused.

She could feel tears running down her cheeks. Ahsoka was shaking slightly, though she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the amount of emotion that raced through her mind. She was feeling so _much_ all at once and she didn't know what to do about it.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Ahsoka took a few staggering steps forward to stand in front of Obi-Wan and then pulled him into a hug. Obi-Wan froze instantly, but she stayed still, even when he melted into the hug _just_ slightly and hugged her back.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered, voice muffled slightly. "You know that, right?"

When he didn't reply, she pulled herself out of the hug and looked at him. There were tears in Obi-Wan's eyes, but none fell, even though his lips were tightly pressed together. A few moments passed before he spoke.

"Ahsoka, I…" Obi-Wan paused, and a single tear slipped out of his right eye and slipped down his cheek into his beard. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly, looking very much like he was just barely struggling to keep the rest of the tears at bay.

"Master?" she whispered.

Obi-Wan shook his head and covered both eyes with his hands. She watched, completely stunned, as tears slipped between his fingers and ran down his face to his chin, and as his body shook with the force of his cries.

Without hesitation, she hugged him again. She was crying again, too, though they were tears of relief and release. It took her a moment to realize that Obi-Wan was whispering something between his cries.

"Thank you, Ahsoka," he breathed. "Thank you."


End file.
